What’s Next?

I haven’t written this week because a couple of things have happened. Big things. HUGE.

Not the least of which is Tracey is finally getting her tummy tuck and, if not a beach body, should end up skinny enough people stop thinking she’s pregnant.

Speaking of which, a beach body would have been handy this weekend because we are booked in for a night away.

Without the kids.

With.

Out.

The.

Kids.

You people in houses where your children sleep on the other side of doors and walls and other noise cancelling buffers can’t know how excited we are about this. Despite the kids constantly suggesting we get one, it’s been six months since we had a room.

It is, in fact, the real reason I haven’t written. Every spare minute this week has been spent Googling potential accommodation trying to get Tracey to make a decision about whether she wants to ‘sleep’ in Brisbane or on the Gold Coast – no easy feat. Tracey always has a go at me for elbowing her out of the way with the naming of our kids but I swear if I’d left it to her they’d all still be pending a final stamp of approval.

I don’t think she’s seriously decided for certain if she wants to be Nanny, Nanna, Nan or Grandma yet, and our grandson, Izzy, is 18 months old!

It won’t be long after the op and we’ll finally be heading off on the long leg of our big lap – NT, WA, SA, TAS, and VIC. At least six months we’ll be on the road this time and the most exciting thing about this is we’ll get to spend heaps of time with our grandson and his parents. We have a bus full of Uncle and Aunties keen to toss him about and make him giggle. Not to mention his grandparents are in desperate need of hugs.

Now usually I’d tease the details of this appointment out – I am after all a tall story teller – but bugger suspence I’m just going to tell you: she’s booked in for her hernia op next Thursday.

Finally, it feels like the adventures of The Gutless Wonder are coming to a close with just this hurdle to jump.

Some of the things they had to organise at the hospital were the usual blood tests and the like, but we also got to have a final assessment of her hernia before it gets taken out, or rather in. The gap between the left and right muscles of her stomach is big but not frightening – 9cm apart at the top and bottom, and 13cm in the middle. There’s every chance she’ll end up with mesh in her guts to hold it together, but he won’t really know until he gets in there and sees how it pans out. Which is fine.

“How attached are you to your belly button?” was something else Dr Brown threw at her. “If you woke up and didn’t have one would that upset you?”

“People wake up without legs,” I said over his shoulder. “Who cares about belly buttons?”

“Shhh,” Tracey hissed at me, indicating she’s more attached to it than I thought. I guess it does play a vital lint collecting role.

“If we cut it out we can make you a fake one,” Dr Brown suggested. Tracey went with that.

I don’t think either of them heard me suggesting he make her three since she apparently likes them so bloody much.

That, or they both ignored me.

So I’m looking forward to our night away almost as much as I’m looking forward to Tracey finally getting the last of these operations over and done with. I’m anxious but excited. And even betterer than all the above, after a couple of months of recuperation we’ll finally be heading off on the long leg of our big lap – NT, WA, SA, TAS, and VIC – so Izzy can finally spend some time with his Uncle, Aunties, Pop and….well, she answers to Tracey when the mood takes her.

This is probably the sort of thing we’ll be chatting about this weekend. You know, eventually.

And come next Thursday Tracey will begin her recovery, no doubt by waking up, blinking off the anaesthetic before turning to the nearest nurse to hoarsely demand someone fetch her a bikini to try on.

6 Comments

Hi,
I just wanted to say, I hope it all goes well with the surgery and that you have a quick recovery. Have a lovely night away where ever you go, could I make a suggestion? We stayed at a gorgeous home in Maleny for our anniversary last year, it is called “Runaway to Maleny” and the owners are just lovely. The home is set amoungst bushland and is quiet and peaceful. Tell them Fiona recommended it. Have a lovely day.
Fi

What do I think?… mmmm
I think u and ur family and the love and bond and insanity u share is so lovely Bruce.

What u’ve all been thru is about as big as it gets.
I understand in some small way what it feels like to watch helplessly as ‘this vital part of ur world’ is in danger.
I can not tell u the ache in my heart for what u all went thru and the now smile on my face watching ur family just ‘be’.

Thanks for ur gift of realness and laughter and vulnerbility mate…letting us all into ur world.

May this op and healing happen super well and u guys r soon back ‘skinny-dipping in the Bahamas ‘ or whatever!!!!!

As for the ‘night alone’ time…All I can say is practice practice practice!!!!! …any snipoet of alone time.. hide in the wardrobe if u must to semi-aclimatise before ‘child-free status’ hits in case u find urself unable to cope or…………. even worse ….sshhhh….either of u mention the ‘k’ word on ur ‘date night’!!!!!

Enjoy!!!!!!…. and Tracey….U have official permission to take all the time u need to decide on official ‘nanny naming status! ‘
After all…u r far too young and ridiculously good looking to join the Nanny club! … Bruce on the other hand………………………….